James Harden is back.
The LA Clippers star exploded with 21 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter — including four-straight threes — to lead his team’s late avalanche against the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday in a 151-127 road win (all times AEDT).
Harden’s last shot was an epic step-back four-point to stretch out the Clippers’ lead to nearly 30.
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He celebrated by doing snow angels on the court as his teammates crowded around him before Harden got up and joyfully yelled at the camera.
Harden finished with 35 points on 12-of-16 shooting from the field, eight triples and nine assists in his best game yet for the Clippers, who won their eighth in a row to continue their charge.
That rocky 0-5 start for the Clippers in the Harden era is suddenly a distant memory.
Elsewhere for LA, Kawhi Leonard scored 28, Paul George dropped in 27 and Ivica Zubac racked up 18 points, 16 boards and three blocks as Tyrone Lue’s team improved to 16-10 to climb into the Western Conference sixth seed.
Despite the return of Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin popping off for a season-best 34 points, Indiana dropped its fourth in a row to fall to 13-12 on the season
ELSEWHERE …
The Chicago Bulls’ resurgence continued in a shock 108-104 upset win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Bulls survived a monster 40-point, 14-rebound, six-assist, two-block effort from Joel Emiiid, with Coby White (24 points, eight rebounds, nine assists) and Nikola Vucevic (23 points, eight rebounds, two blocks) shining for the visitors.
With it, Chicago, who was once 6-14, improved to 11-17 overall — and 6-3 since Zach LaVine has been sidelined through injury — to suddenly make a run for a play-in spot.
Elsewhere, Josh Giddey had a double-double (16 points, 12 rebounds), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dropped 30 points and Chet Holmgren amassed 17 points, six blocks and seven blocks and the Oklahoma City Thunder blew by the Memphis Grizzlies 117-97.
It was a nice bounce back from Giddey, who’s been below his best form this season while dealing with the distraction of the off-court investigation into his alleged relationship with a minor, after he played a season-low 15 minutes in a win over the Nuggets on Sunday.
The win marked the Thunder’s fourth from their last five games to consolidate the Western Conference second seed.
The 6-19 Grizzlies, who dropped their fifth-straight game, would meanwhile be desperate for Ja Morant to return, with the star guard eligible to return from his 25-match suspension on Wednesday in New Orleans.
ALL RESULTS
BULLS 108 76ERS 104
CLIPPERS 151 PACERS 127
ROCKETS 130 CAVALIERS 135 (OT)
HORNETS 99 RAPTORS 114
TIMBERWOLVES 112 HEAT 108
PISTONS 124 HAWKS 130
GRIZZLIES 97 THUNDER 117
NETS – JAZZ
MAVERICKS – NUGGETS
WIZARDS – KINGS
KNICKS – LAKERS
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